Something to Live For
by crypticxmetaphor
Summary: Anyone who is friends with Jesse Custer is in for a wild ride. It makes sense then that Anna immediatly took to the preacher, but things take an unexpected turn when she finds out Jesse is friends with Proinsais; the one that got away. Proinsais Cassidy/OC
1. In the Beginning

*Hey guys, I just want to explain this fic a bit. You can read this now or later, but I promise you it will help. As beautiful as Joe Gilgun is, I'm going with more of the comic book Cassidy- huge fan of a ginger with an earring. And I think I want it to take place in '96, but I'll probably stick to the TV show's plot just because it's simplified. Might turn into a mash up of the two. We'll see how this goes.

Spring nights always felt magical, no matter how old Anna got. This one was supposed to be more magical than others, but now she only felt fear. She was surrounded by a crowd of people and even as they moved around her, Anna's feet were rooted to the spot. She made sure to keep her eyes shut tight, but she could still admit that the air up here was crisper, cleaner than on the city streets below. It felt as though she was in a different world. In a way she was, 102 stories up, but she couldn't bring herself to look.

"Anna! Anna, open your eyes!" Lily pleaded.

Anna shook her head, refusing to look out on the view of the city below. "I'm up here with you. Isn't that enough?"

"No! You need to experience it." Lily tried tugging Anna's hands away from her face.

Cassidy couldn't believe it. He and the other guys had made it to the top of the Empire State Building. At first he didn't believe it when they said they were opening it to the public. The same way he didn't believe they could make buildings this tall when he arrived on that boat in 1918. It was amazing. He felt like he was on top of the world. He moved through the crowd easily at six feet tall and what some people would call scrawny, though Cassidy liked to think of himself as handsomely-skinny. He nearly ran into the poor girl on his way to look over the edge. She wasn't moving, her eyes shut tight while her friend begged for her to open them.

"'Ey- ey, sweetheart, yeh doin' alright?" he asked.

"Fucking fabulous," she snarled at him.

He gave it to her; it was a stupid question. "Do ye mind?" he asked a new question before putting his arms around her. She didn't answer, but she didn't fight his him either. "Alright, now listen, sweetheart, yeh've got two feet on the ground, yeh? And I'm holding onto yeh. Yeh're not gonna fall." He tightened his hug.

Anna nodded only to acknowledge that he had spoken, but she didn't feel any less scared.

"Now, I want yeh to open your eyes. But yeh're gonna look straight out in front of ye- like this is the ground floor-okay? One. Two. Three." Cassidy counted slowly for her.

Anna's heart was pounding, but she was just as frightened of keeping her eyes shut as opening them. On three, she looked out, just as the Irishman had told her to. The view was amazing- like something out of a dream. Magnificent was the only word that came to mind, but Anna felt it didn't do the view justice. She peeled her eyes away from the cityscape and looked at the man who was holding her. He had a mop of orange hair and a lopsided grin.

"Proinsais Cassidy," he said. He wasn't sure why he had said it. He hadn't used the name Proinsais in thirteen years. But something about this girl made him think things could be good again, like before when he still had his older brother Billy. He wanted to tell her everything from the Easter Uprising to ripping out people's throats with this teeth- someday.

"Abrianna," she replied. "Friends call me Anna and that's Lily."

"Nice to meet ye," he grinned over Anna's head at her friend.

"You can let go over her now," Lily told Cassidy. Her fatal flaw wasn't hubris like in the Greek legends; it was jealousy and she had no problem acting on it.

"You don't have to." Anna placed her hand on Cassidy's.

"Hey, Cass! Cass! We're going to the Coach House! Let's go!" A couple of rough looking guys tried to break the pair up.

Cassidy didn't bother to introduce his friends. "Are ye comin?" he asked Anna.

Anna looked over towards Lily, but the older girl was gone. "Yes. I just need to get Lily…" Anna stood on her tiptoes to kiss Cassidy's cheek.

"Fuck Lily," he thought. "Fuck the Coach House." He just wanted to take Anna home. But he let her go anyway, her fingers slipping through his. His friends pulled him away, but he didn't turn around until he lost sight of Anna in the sea of bodies atop the skyscraper.

Anna couldn't figure out why it hurt to let go of his hand. She was more concerned with pushing through the crowd and finding the demon than the height so it wasn't the comfort that she missed. Anna didn't believe in true love, in love at first sight, or any love at all for that matter so why did she regret leaving him to find Lily? They were going to meet up for a drink later anyway.


	2. Reunion

**ANNVILLE**

 **1996**

The purr of the turbocharged V8 rumbled all around Anna causing her to grin wildly. Anna adored her Mustang- her last one had four legs and didn't make such a satisfying sound. She hasn't always thought Ford was such a brilliant company. The first car they put on the streets was slower than the horses they wanted to replace.

Miles of highway flew by, streaks of green through the window, as she wove through trucks and equally impressive sports cars manned by less adventurous drivers. San Francisco to Annville was supposed to be a day's drive without stops and longer if you had to keep reading a map. Luckily Anna memorized the drive the first time she visited her father in Texas. Now she saw the 27hr time mark as a challenge. She did it in under 24, under 22, under 20. This trip was looking to be a little over 19 hours- a new personal best

Anna had no love for Annville and hadn't seen her father in nearly a year as a result. Recently though, he had her worried. After 6,000 years, he seemed to have lost his desire to live. She didn't worry about him committing suicide- God had ensured that wouldn't happen: "Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." So Anna was more concerned with her father's happiness. At least she had known the life she was choosing when she first prayed to Lucifer, the fallen morning star.

Turning onto the main road, Anna first thought the town had been deserted. It would be just like him to move without telling her. He could have snapped and killed everyone and also not told her- they didn't speak much even when she visited. A glance at the dashboard clock told Anna she had overreacted. Everyone would be at church- one of the chronic symptoms of a small town in the Bible Belt.

The white building looked at derelict as ever. Jesse had improved it when he took over as pastor nearly five years ago, but you could tell he didn't care enough to finish and maintain it. Anna pulled down her tight dress as she stepped out of the car. Despite her efforts to look acceptable for the community, the hem ended just below her ass. The clicking of her thigh-high boots on the wooden floor interrupted the sermon. Jesse looked up from his place at the pulpit and gave Anna a small nod while the rest of the congregation attempted to ignore the intruder. She smiled and returned a small wave before sliding into one of the back pews where her father sat. He looked the same as ever: gray hair threatening to hang over his eyes, hunched but broad shoulders. Perhaps he did seem a bit more surly. He looked over at his daughter, nodded, and returned his attention to the preacher. Satisfied, Anna kicked up her feet and reclined, unconcerned with the blatant disrespect she was demonstrating. Despite Jesse's words promising to be better for the community, Anna knew God wasn't in his heart- at least not entirely.

Cassidy had been laying down in the pew, hands behind his head. He watched the pair of bare legs walk by him matched to the sound of high heels. He always liked a girl in heels- nice to look at from behind. Intrigued, he rose to an upright position- a compliment he hadn't afford his new friend throughout the service. He watched as the girl took a seat next to an old goon. Cassidy had recognized the girl immediately. The tattoos were new as was the shorter hair and she should have been about eighty-five years old, but he knew it was her. Across the aisle and one pew in front of him, sat Anna in bloody Annville, Texas.

"Well fuck me sideways," he murmured.

His mind began racing with the possibilities of what happened to her, how and why she was here, if she remembered him. Then all his thoughts came to a screeching halt when the realization hit him that he had no idea what he was supposed to say to her. That locomotive had jumped the tracks, crashed into the side of a building, and went up in flames, killing all the passengers along with it.

Jesse finished speaking and stepped down from the pulpit. He exit the church down the aisle and the congregation followed. Cassidy waited at the end of the pew until he could get to Anna. He had never been a planner, never had a goal other than getting the English out of Ireland when he was sixteen, but now he was determined to reach her before she made it outside into the sunlight.

Jesse smiled politely to the congregation as he walked through the pews, stopping at the back of the church. "It's nice to see you again," he said to Anna.

"Finally down with this whole preacher-thing, huh?" she laughed, referencing his sermon as she hugged him. Wrapping her arms around him, her attention was diverted by the sun glinting off of a piece of jewelry. Upon closer inspection she saw that it was a gold hoop earring worn by a man with a mess of orange hair. Although Anna couldn't see his eyes behind the red-tinted aviators, she knew it was him- the man from New York 65 years ago. Anna pushed Jesse away without waiting for his answer. She crossed the aisle and took the man's face in her hands. "You should be dead," she muttered more to herself than him. "Or at least rotting in a gurney, pissing in a bag."

"I wos asking myself the same about ye." Cassidy's lip curled up into a lopsided grin.

Anna laughed and grabbed his hand meaning to follow the rest of the churchgoers outside. They had gaped for a moment, but easily became bored with the spectacle of the too short dress- it would be more interesting to talk about than watch.

"You have to tell me everything," she said as she pulled him along.

Cassidy, though, yanked his hand from her, refusing to pass into the sunlight that streamed in through the open door.

"Well that would explain it then," Anna smirked. "Vampire."

"Now- now that is uncanny, that is." He peered over his sunglasses at her.

Anna only smiled wider. "We'll catch up. I'll buy you a drink."

"Tomorrow. Eight o'clock then. Ye better show up this time round, yeh?" Cassidy agreed. There was no need to specify location- towns like these only ever had one bar.


	3. Bar Talk

**THE NEXT DAY** _(In Word, this is a huge font size and I like it because I think it goes along well with what Seth and Evan are doing with the show. But when I upload it to here, it shrinks. Can anyone help or do I just have to suck it up and deal?)_

Smoke hung in the air from Cassidy's cigarette. He was one of about five people in the bar and he wasn't sure if he expected more or less on a Monday night. He poured himself another drink from the bottle the bartender had placed in front of him and began to wonder if Anna had found somewhere better to be. Before he could feel sad, she pushed open the door and everyone turned to watch her. When she took the seat next to Cassidy, the chatter resumed. Anna inspected his bottle of Ratwater Whiskey and ordered herself rum.

"Thought yeh weren't gonna make it," Cassidy grunted.

Anna looked at the clock above the bar. It was eight o'three. "Well fuck you too. Next time your demon friend ditches you and you have to chase her halfway across New York City before cell phones and shit- let me know."

Cassidy's stomach dropped, feeling like an asshole. "Jaysis. Is that what happened last time?"

She nodded as she traded the bartender a large bill for her drink. "So what have you been up to for the past sixty years and what are you doing in Annville?"

He poured out another drink, wondering what the point was of a glass so small. "Alright, but then you go and why yeh're still alive and pretty, yeah?"

"Deal. Go ahead." Anna leaned back and took a sip.

"Been up and down the east coast mainly, bit of the Midwest- that was shite. I haven't made it all the way yet. I left New York in the 40s. Been back once or twice. I was in New Orleans for a bit. I met another vampire there. What a wanker- took the whole Lestat thing to heart. He even had a cult of goth humans worshipping him. He killed a lot of people too- fucking wanker, really."

Anna put a hand on Cassidy's arm to calm him down. The sudden contact startled him into silence.

"Well, anyway, I've just been wandering," he continued after polishing off the whiskey left in his glass. "I'm currently on the run from these religious zealot types- vampire hunters. They got me in a plane and I had to take 'em out, but ended up taking out the plane in the process. I had to jump. I landed here. Then I met Jesse here, he was breaking some guy's arm to make a fucking bunny sound, yeah? It was fucking sick. He's letting me stay up at the church. Your turn."

Anna scoffed and shook her head at the way he spoke- as if the vampire hunters weren't the most interesting and important part of the story. She didn't begin speaking right away. She paused with her lips still on the rim of the glass, not knowing where to begin.

"So how old are ye then?" Cassidy narrowed his eyes at her.

"I don't know exactly. I have an idea, but it's only an estimation. Dad's in the Bible, though," she shrugged.

"Shite," Cassidy muttered under his breath.

Anna nodded, understanding his reaction. "I'm out here visiting him. He moved to Texas about ten years ago and I've always made a point of seeing him wherever he lived, but he's not doing too well."

"Is he ill?" Cassidy asked.

"No, no. God cursed him, he can't die, but he's tired of living. I'm not, not even close," she clarified. "He got stuck with it for killing his brother, but I made a deal with the devil."

Cassidy laughed. "Fucking hell, really?"

Anna smiled along with him. "Yep. I told him I wanted to live forever and always be young. He said 'sure thing, sweetheart, but when the time comes you have to gather the demons and lead the army into battle against the angles.'"

"Yeh're taking the piss, aren't yeh? This is all good craic to yeh?" He knew about crazy, but demons and angels- that was insanity.

"I'm not. I swear, I'm not, Proinsais. I sold my soul and payment is due on the apocalypse." She wanted desperately for him to believe her, but didn't give him a chance for the information to sink in. "Anyway, I left New York a few days later and headed west. I still live in San Francisco; I own a nightclub out there."

By now, 3/4 of his whiskey was gone and he continued to drink. "So that's it, then. Ye command a legion of demons and own a club in California," he scoffed.

Anna slid her empty glass towards the bartender and stood up. "It was good seeing you again, Proinsais," she said.

"Ach, no wait! I'm sorry. I'm completely bollocksed, don't go!" Cassidy called after her, realizing too late that he had been rude. She was already out the door, though and either didn't hear him or chose to ignore his pleas.

She slid behind the wheel of the Mustang and immediately punched the dash. She was pissed at him for being a sarcastic asshole. She was pissed at herself for being offended when she normally would have found it funny. Anna started the car and put it in gear, but as soon as it roared to life she shifted down and killed the engine. "Fuck!" she yelled slamming the car door shut. Annoyed enough to stab someone, she began walking back to her father's apartment although the sidewalk swam in front of her.

Cassidy finished the bottle and began stumbling back to the church. On the way, he stopped at a liquor store to buy another bottle for his journey.

The interior of the church was dark, but Cassidy was able to make out Jesse sitting on the steps in front of the altar, lighting a cigarette. The preacher didn't look up at his friend until he spoke.

"Sure ye can be doin that in a house of God, mate?" Cassidy snorted, sitting next to him.

"I'm sure he don't mind. I could be doing a hell of a lot worse," Jesse answered as he exhaled. "You alright?"

"No," Cassidy chuckled. "I was out with Anna and fuck, I really cocked it up."

Jesse laughed. His voiced echoed off the empty walls. "Anna? That girl could crush you."

"Aye," Cassidy agreed. "That's what I like about her. She'll never talk to me again, mate. I was such an arsehole."

"Flowers. Get her flowers," Jesse told him. "Girls love that shit."

Cassidy looked at him like he was insane. "She's not really the roses and chocolates type, though, is she?" he scoffed. "She'd probably be happier with some deadly nightshade."

Jesse stood and extinguished the cigarette on the bottom of his boot. "Well if you don't apologize… it was nice knowing you, Cass."

"Aw, fuck." Cassidy buried his face in his hands as Jesse walked away. The sudden movement caused the room to spin so he slowly lowered himself onto his side. He laid with one arm under his head and his knees curled up in an attempt to ease his stomach. The motion sickness returned anyway and he closed his eyes, imagining stable land, before passing out entirely.


	4. Those That Cover Up Crimes Together

The flowers arrived were delivered on Friday in a glass vase adorned with a ribbon. Among the white asphodel was a stake bearing a white card that simply said:

 _Sorry_

"Now that has to be the florist's handwriting," Anna thought, along with the vase and ribbon choices, but despite the light-hearted thinking, she felt like an ass. Which is why she was standing outside of All Saints Congregational at four in the morning.

"Proinsais?" she called to announce herself. There was no answer, but when she ventured through the church's lobby, she saw him mopping the church floor. Not a single light was on in the building and Anna noticed a rank smell lingering underneath that of cleaning chemicals. Upon further inspection, Anna noticed Jesse passed out on the floor and a large black trunk she had never seen before. She remained silent, waiting for Cassidy to acknowledge her. If she started it would turn into an interrogation and the scene shouted at her to not ask questions.

Cassidy finished getting the blood out of the wood and stuck the mop back into the bucket. He had been aware of Anna from the moment she called his name- anyone else who called him Proinsais was flirting with death. He was more concerned, though with the chance that Jesse might recover from the moonshine concoction.

"Did yeh get the flowers?" Cassidy asked her.

"Yeah, thanks," she answered. "They were beautiful. Did you- did you know asphodel is associated with death?"

Cassidy's eyes widened. "What? Shite, no. I'm sorry, I just didn't think yeh'd appreciate roses is all."

Anna laughed. "No, don't apologize. I loved them! Besides, I think I should have been the one to apologize. I shouldn't have been offended the other night. That's why I came here to talk to you-make sure we're alright, but you seem to be in the middle of something."

"Yeah! These fuckers come in 'ere with a fuckin' chainsaw an' they're gonna kill Jesse- a poor, unconscious, minister of the Lord- so I chopped them up into about a dozen pieces an' they're in the trunk," he explain failing around and without stopping for breath. "I mean, can yeh believe it?"

"About as much as an apocalyptic war between angels and demons," Anna shrugged.

"Ah, fine. I'll give yeh tha' one." Cassidy grinned, but was quickly distracted by his blood soaked clothes.

With a groan he shrugged off the vest and peeled off the tshirt. He cracked open the trunk and threw them inside with the other evidence. Anna didn't miss the opportunity to admire the view.

"Alright then. All that's left is to dig a wee spot of sod-" Cassidy grabbed a shovel and dragged the trunk behind him while Anna followed. They opened the church door to be greeted by the sun peeking over the horizon. Cassidy sighed and sat on the trunk. "Good morning, yeh right bloody bastard."

Anna moved to stand in front of him. She placed one hand over his on the shovel. "I've got it."

"Are yeh sure?" he asked. "It's my mess."

"I've got it," Anna said and he relinquished the shovel. "Go get some sleep."

With only a nod, he moved from the trunk and trudged back to the attic.

†††††

By the time Anna had finished it was late morning and she was surprised no one had seen her, even if she had chosen a spot under a tree in the back. Her hands were covered in blisters and she could feel the sweat dripping down her chest. "Last time I do a favor of anyone," she grumbled as she cleaned the dirt off in the bathroom using the sink and paper towels. She peeled off her sweaty shirt as she walked to the attic, tugging off her boots and socks when she got there. Cassidy was fast asleep- snoring on the cot. Not really caring if she woke him, Anna squeezed into bed beside him.

Cassidy stirred as she slid beneath the sheet next to him. He moved and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her tighter against him. The cot was barely big enough for all six feet of him, but he didn't mind her laying on top of him even a little a bit. One of his hands rested on her arm that wrapped around him and his other held her hip.

"What're the chances you have an alarm clock?" She murmured with her cheek pressed against his bare chest.

Cassidy scoffed. "Why?"

"Bingo is in six hours-at four," Anna answered him.

Cassidy chuckled again, still without opening his eyes. "Yeh really are old, aren't yeh?"

Anna didn't answer, though, she had already disappeared into the world of dreams.


	5. The Best Laid Plans

**FLAVOUR STATION**

 **SAME WEEK**

The thing with diners is that they're all the same. Sure there are subtle differences- like in New Jersey they know what Pork Roll is, but the menu still goes on forever. Breakfast is served all day, all night, and the coffee is always stale. Sometimes it's crowded and loud, sometimes there are only a few quiet customers, but it's always cold. You will meet your mom for lunch, old friends for dinner, you sit alone at the counter eating eggs and toast before you move onto somewhere new, but the waitress will always call you honey and the old people always tip in change. From Nevada to New York, diners are all the same.

This is how Anna felt as she picked at her fries. Diners were the best thing to ever happen to the food industry and it was comforting that they were all alike. It was a pillar of her existence; a constant to get her across the country and through the years.

The bell on the door chimed and in a moment Cassidy was at the table. He was shoving into the booth next to her father and despite his eagerness to talk to Anna, he couldn't miss the glare from Cain. "Hello,sir,I'mCassidyNicetofinallymeetyehIthinkI'minlovewithyeh'redaughterAnna,wehaveaprobelm."

Cain snorted at Cassidy's declaration. He was no longer annoyed because he decided the man was actually hysterical.

"What?" Anna pushed her fries across the table towards him. She, too, was more amused than concerned.

"Yeh remember those two blokes we ah-" He motioned with his hand at his neck and a head tilt-a gesture of death. "They ain't dead."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I don't think yeh're hearin' me. I talked to them- they ain't dead," he tried again obviously frustrated. "Bloody government clones or sometin."

Not dying didn't seem like a cause for alarm considering present company, but before Anna could interrogate further, they were interrupted by a muscular man of about thirty.

"Howdy, pretty lady," he winked at Anna.

"Keep steppin'," she glared back.

"Aw, don't be like that. Ditch you're goofy friend; I can show you a good time," he smiled down at her.

In a second Anna had stood from her seat and pinned the man's arm behind his back. "What was that?" she growled.

"I-uh-didn't mean nothing," he whimpered.

There was a sickening pop and the man cried out in pain. "That," she emphasized. "was your shoulder being dislocated. Let's try again. What did you say?"

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am," he said and Anna released him.

"Now go apologize to your mama for being a little shit." Anna shooed him away.

"That's why yeh were laughin' at me before, yeah?" Cassidy asked Cain. "Fair enough, but I'm changin' it from thinkin' to knowin'."

Anna sat back down across from Cassidy, pretending not to have heard his comment. "So these guys- you said you talked to them? Did they say they were clones?"

"Well, no, but one said they were from the government and the other said they were from heaven," Cassidy explained.

"Shit," Anna breathed. "If they're angels you need to leave them the fuck alone."

"Don't worry, they're eejits. I'm on me way to see them now." Cassidy kissed Anna's cheek before using his longs legs to carry him quickly out the door.

"Proinsais!" Anna called after him, but he had already gone. She sat with her fries for a bit longer, but not one passed by her lips. Instead, her eyes flicked to the small TV in the corner. It showed the news which announced the death of Lacey, at 23 year old girl, in a freak accident. Anna recognized the girl immediately. She had met Lacey last time she had been in town and thought that she was sweet. Lacey was one of Mosie's and Mosie was one of Anna's. "Shit," she repeated and threw crinkled bills on the table to cover the cost of her food. "I'll see you later." Anna bolted from the diner with Toadvine in her sights.

†††††

 **TOADVINE WHOREHOUSE**

Sindy read a Bible passage in memoriam for Lacey. Anna rolled her eyes which Mosie noticed and chuckled. It was perfectly ironic- a parable in a demon's whorehouse. Anna wondered why they had a Bible. Pretty much everyone other than Anna and a girl with short curls, who she had never seen before, were listening to Sindy's tribute so they didn't see the six foot leather jacket and sunglasses walk in the door. Anna felt a pang of betrayal and jealous as Mosie greeted him- no doubt trying to sell one of her girls. She spoke to him quietly and then walked away.

"What are you doing here?" Anna demanded.

"I could ask yeh the same thing," Cassidy replied indignantly. "I was told Mosie was in charge of all the sinnin' tha' went on round here."

On cue, Mosie returned and smoothly traded a dimebag for some cash.

"Let's celebrate," Cassidy grinned with a hand on Anna's back.

"Celebrate what?" Anna chuckled.

He shrugged. "Finding each other after sixty-five years."

"Mosie. I'm borrowing a room," Anna called and took Cassidy's hand. She stopped at the foot of the stairs, though, telling him to hold on. She ducked under the bar and came out with a bottle of whiskey. "Okay let's go." She took his hand again and pulled him up the stairs and into a room. She neatly placed the bottle on top the dresser and realized there were no glasses- they'd have to pass the bottle.

Cassidy watched Anna move in front of him and forgot all about the drugs. He took a risk and began kissing her neck. Anna had brought him into a room in a whorehouse, but he was still nervous to touch her.

His lips on her throat sent shivers down her spine. She leaned her head back and imagined his kisses everywhere else. "What are you doing?" she asked. She had been expecting more of a lead up- some drinking at least.

"I've waited decades for this," Cassidy answered and spun her around planting a kiss on her lips.

They moved to the bed and removed their shirts. Cassidy took his time kissing her collar bone, down between her breasts. Anna encouraged him by moaning when he left hickeys on her chest. More kissing, more grabbing and soon they were naked. His fingers were inside of her. Her fingers were in his hair. He was inside her. Her nails were in his back. She screamed. He moaned.

Then Cassidy felt pain in his back. Someone had hit him. He moved from Anna and was hit again and again. He stumbled backwards and glass shattered around him. He landed with a thud and was dimly aware of a throbbing pain in his neck and a cold breeze on his bare ass.

"Shit!" Anna cried as she watched a girl beat Cassidy with a baton until he fell through a window. She tugged on her pants and threw her shirt over her head. "What was that for?" she asked.

"Well- I-," Tulip stumbled when she realized she wasn't talking to Sindy. She was aware someone had moved into the doorway to watch and glanced over. Her stomach sank when she saw Clive and Sindy.

Anna looked at the window, thoroughly pissed at the girl. If Cassidy had screwed her over that would have been one thing, but now he was laying face down, on top of a van, bleeding for no reason at all. "Come on," Anna urged Tulip. "Come on!"

Outside, Anna tried to examine Cassidy's state although he was above her. What she could see was a shard of glass, several inches long, protruding from his neck. Her initial reaction was to dote on him, maybe throttle the girl, and then bring him home. But none of those things would actually help and the cause of all this was beginning to panic.

"Was worth it," Cassidy managed to choke out even if he hadn't the energy to grin at Anna.

She smiled. "Alright, pants then hospital." Someone had to be practical.

Tulip was shaking in horror at what she had done. Her hands were so unsteady that Anna had to drive while she sat in the back with Cassidy's head on her lap. She tried to keep a hand pressed to his neck around the glass to slow the bleeding, but it didn't seem to be helping. The sick sounds of his labored breathing only made her panic worse.

"Please, don't die," Tulip begged. "I didn't mean to. You're gonna be alright. You're gonna make it. I'm so sorry. God or whatever you call yourself, I know we hate each other, but please. Please."

"You'd be better off praying to Satan," Anna commented from the front.

"Let. The lass. Pray. For me," Cassidy coughed.

Anna rolled her eyes, but didn't make another remark.

"Can you drive faster?" Tulip cried.

"Not really," Anna answered. "On these roads, top speed is cut down to about 130- unless you wanna flip."

"Well hurry!" Tulip shouted anyway. "If he dies…"

"He's not gonna die. We're here," Anna said, skidding to a stop.

Anna and Tulip carried Cassidy inside with his arms around their shoulders and theirs around his waist. They sat him down in the reception area and Anna sat next to him while Tulip spoke to a nurse. Anna's anger had dissipated as she drove. She wanted to heal Cassidy and then she wanted to go home where she was queen.

Cassidy pointed towards the door because it was too hard to speak.

Anna nodded. She wasn't sure why he was pointing, but inferred that he probably knew what he was doing. If he knew anything about anything, he should know something about this.

He stood and walked across the waiting room and through the door, dragging his feet as he went. He could smell the blood- it was only down the hall. He would have a bag or two then he would be right as rain and they would be on their way out of there and hopefully back to bed with Anna.

"Who needs a doctor?" the nurse asked.

Tulip turned around and was surprised to only see Anna. "What the hell?"

Anna simply motioned to the trail of blood Cassidy had left, seeing no point in trying to delay her. She followed Tulip down the hallway to where the blood was stored. Cassidy sat on the floor with his back to fridge. He ripped open a blood bag with his teeth and began slurping. There was already fresh blood on his chin and more red on his chest than before. He liked having both the women there- it did wonders for his ego, but Anna was by far the better pick. She had kept herself together enough to take care of him and even now she remained in control as though she had planned to end up here tonight.

"You were right. I think I'm gonna make it," he chuckled.

Tulip raised her eyebrows- not sure if she believed what she was seeing. He looked fine aside from the blood coating his skin. He didn't look close to death like he did in the car. "You knew?" she asked the other girl.

Anna shrugged. "I'm Anna, by the way," she introduced herself instead.

"Tulip O'Hare." The girls shook hands.

"You're pretty handy with a baton," Anna said, meaning it to be a compliment.

"Sorry bout that. Didn't mean to hurt your boyfriend," Tulip tried to explain. "I was going for Clive-"

"Water under the bridge." Anna waved dismissively. Anna never did the whole "boyfriend" thing. She preferred to use men for orgasms and then send them on their way, but she didn't bother to correct the boyfriend comment and neither did Cassidy.

"Still," Tulip insisted. "Bet this wasn't part of your plan tonight."

"What plans?" Anna asked. "We should go."


	6. Vampires, and Angels, and Demons, Oh My

Even through Jesse's determined conversion of Odin Quincannon, it was impossible not to notice Anna frowning for the duration of the service.

"Manipulating your congregation doesn't seem very Christian to me," she grimaced.

"I'm doing God's Will," Jesse argued. "Bringing His lost sheep back into the fold."

"You know God's Will?" Anna asked, her brow furrowing further.

Jesse shook his head. "Just because you don't believe in Him-"

"Oh, I believe," Anna interrupted. "I just don't like Him."

Jesse chuckled. He liked Anna because she reminded him of Tulip without being Tulip, but the remark made him realize that he's picking the same friends over and over again. "Now you sound like Cass- who by the way, has been asking about you."

"Is he upstairs?" Anna asked. She hadn't seen Cassidy since the incident. Now that he was fine, it hadn't occurred to her that the proper social practice was to check on him. "I'll go say 'hi.'"

"Try to stay out of trouble," Jesse warned her retreating back.

Cassidy had just laid out a line with the last of the cocaine he bought at Toadvine. As he inhaled the powder, he didn't hear Anna walk into the room.

"You really have some left?" Anna asked and thought he would answer that he had gotten more. She pegged him for heavy drugs and partying, but so far had seemed to show restraint in both fields.

"I did," he sniffed. "I tried to make it last. Money may be a wee bit tight. I got a ask though. How'd yeh know the madame of a whoorehouse?"

Anna shrugged as though it were obvious and moved to sit down on the cot. "She's a demon."

Tulip had been climbing the stairs to the attic and heard the exchange. _Demon?_ she thought. _Mose?_ She reached the top landing and stood in the doorway, arms outstretched, holding onto the door posts. "Well, vampires and demons in Annville. Who'd've thought?"

"Alright," Cassidy sighed. He laid down on the cot with his head in Anna's lap. "I was wondering when ye'd be wantin answers. Well, shoot."

"No offense, but I'm a bit more interested in why you're callin' Mose a demon." She raised her eyebrows and placed her hands on her hips. She meant business. "Sure she runs a whorehouse, but she's been nothing but good to me since I was kid."

Anna laughed without meaning to. "I wasn't insulting her! I meant it as a neutral noun. Mose is a spirit of hell."

Tulip pursed her lips. This was unbelievable. She looked at the two of them watching her. Anna reclined, leaning back on her arms to support herself while Cassidy turned his head towards Tulips expectantly. "Demons, huh?" was all she could come up with.

"Why not? This one's a vampire." Anna leaned forward and put her hand on Cassidy's chest.

Cassidy grinned. He loved the attention Anna was giving to him and waited patiently for Tulip to take her turn.

"Right. But you're not like other vampires," Tulip said. She was hesitant to delve even further into this conversation.

"What other vampires?" Cassidy scoffed. He had only met one himself. Two if you count whatever bit him.

Tulip realized she had misspoken. All she knew of vampires came from movies. "Uh…Dracula?"

"Yeh, not like him," he chuckled.

"So no fangs?" Tulip asked.

"No," Cassidy scoffed, although he had often wished for them. It would make biting a hell of a lot easier.

"Turn into a bat?" she asked.

"No."

"Sleep in a coffin?"

Cassidy recalled the last time he was in New Orleans. "Not if I can help it."

"Afraid of the cross?"

This time, Anna laughed. Tulip glared at her, not understanding why it was a funny question.

"2000 year old symbol of bigotry and oppression, but it won't burn me face off," Cassidy explained.

"Silver bullets," Tulip tried.

"That's a werewolf, yeah?"

"Sunshine," she smirked. That had to be true.

"Oh hell no. That's legit," Cassidy admitted. "If I don't cover up- sleeves, hat, and the like, it won't be pretty."

Tulip considered what he had told her and searched for another question. "You kill people?"

"Not if they don't deserve it," he answered.

Anna was getting bored of all the questions. She ran her fingers through Cassidy's hair which made him smile, but she was internally groaning. He sensed her tension and readjusted so that he was holding her hand. He was concerned Anna would push him off and leave.

"But you drink blood?" Tulip continued, pretending she didn't notice the gesture.

"It helps me heal, but all tings bein' equal, I'd rather have a single malt."

"So you never crave human blood?"

Cassidy raised his eyebrows. _Had she ever seen blood?_ "No, not really."

"Huh." Tulip nodded. "So vampire? Demon? All we're missin' is an angel."

"You don't want one of those around here," Anna grimaced. What she knew of heaven came from her father and Lucifer, so of course it was biased, but she understood that they were foot soldiers. They followed orders and they followed their rules and they were strong enough to kill even her Proinsias.

"Now you're sounding batshit crazy." Tulip shook her head. "Thanks for the answers." She turned and wandered back down the stairs.

"That's where she draws the lines? Angels? I'm exhausted." Anna sighed.

Cassidy rolled over, head still in her lap. "So we're not gonna 'ave any fun?" he murmured into her thigh.

"You can try and convince me," Anna bit her lip.

Cassidy bunched up the hem of her dress, planting kisses on his way up her thigh. Anna tingled with pleasure. When he reached the spot between her legs, he released her dress to slip off her black, silk underwear. Anna didn't protest and fell backwards on the bed and moaned. Cassidy let out a moan of his own, enjoying the taste of her. He moved his kissed up to Anna's abdomen as she wiggled out of her dress. As Cassidy's face reached her own, Anna began stripping him of his clothes.

"I'm convinced," Anna smiled, nibbling on his collarbone.

Cassidy growled and shifted himself in between her legs. "I'm pretty persuasive," he boasted, pressing into her, savoring each sound she made and trying with each thrust to make her call louder.


	7. Honesty is for Fools

Anna rolled over and looked at Cassidy who slept soundly on top of the sheets. Her mind wandered to his tongue on her clit and she felt herself growing turned on, growing wetter as she recalled how it felt to have him inside of her. She moved swiftly, straddling his hips. She leaned over a kissed him awake.

"Oh luv, yeh want another go, yea?" he said.

Anna rocked her hips and felt him grow hard beneath her. "Mmhmm."

"Alright, but after I have to help out Jesse," he pretended to be reluctant as he flipped them over so that he was on top. "I make you cum, you play chauffer."

"Deal," Anna growled and begged for Cassidy to enter her. She cried out when he did and begged for him to fuck harder. Cassidy obliged, his mind fuzzy with thoughts of her as she ran her nails down his arms and tightened her legs' grip on his waist. She screamed his name and he couldn't stop himself from coming. As he pressed into her, as far as he could, and as Anna felt his cum inside her, she herself, came, hips arching off the bed.

Cassidy pressed his forehead against Anna's. "Jaysis," he breathed. "I love ye."

Anna hadn't been expecting it. The words caught her off guard and she struggled to form a response of her own.

Cassidy's face fell and he crawled off of her and wiggled into his pants. "Yeh don't love me. Right. Forget it. Right stupid thing t' say."

"Wait. Proinsias, just wait!" she grabbed on to his arm to keep him from leaving the room. "You can't leave you live here."

"Right," he pulled himself free. "You leave."

"No, I'm not leaving because I do love you and you still need a ride," she said.

"Don't say tha'. Don't say tha; just t' make me happy. I saw th' way yeh tensed up," he shook his head, but began to bundle up anyway.

"You just caught me off guard. I already knew you loved me. I didn't think you'd actually say it, though," Anna tried to explain as she dressed. "Where are we going?" she asked when Cassidy didn't answer.

"Need to pick sometin' up from th' hardware store," he grumbled. The last thing he wanted to do was get in the car with Anna. Everything was going great, but then he had to be honest. He's never completely honest. In a hundred years, the one thing he learned was that dishonesty was the best policy.

"Look," Anna said as they slid into the Mustang. "I love you and you don't have to believe me, but don't be a grumpy child and make this awkward."

"Yes, mum," Cassidy sighed.

He hadn't meant it to be funny, but Anna laughed. She had never been called mom, by anyone, even as a joke. She couldn't help it. It sounded so strange, especially coming from Cassidy, that she couldn't stop laughing. Soon he was smiling to, laughing at her laugh.

"Alright, alright," she tried to calm herself down. "Hardware store, yeah?" She turned the car on and put it in first.

"Yea," Cassidy smiled at her.

†††††

Cassidy finally had everything he needed to fix the church air conditioning. He stared out the window as Texas flew past. "Wait, wait. Luv, stop here."

Anna swerved into the parking lot of the Sundowner Motel. "The fuck is here?"

"The guys who are after Jesse. Been stringin' 'em along. Gotta keep it up, yea? Be right back." He slid out of the car.

"Proinsias!" she called after him, but he ignored her.

Anna remained in the car, keeping it running. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel and waited. And waited. Finally her nerves grew so paramount she exited the car, but she had to talk herself into going inside. She wasn't used to being scared. She was Abrianna, daughter of Cain. She always got what she wanted and no one could hurt her. Then two dickless angels come to town and suddenly she has to tiptoe around. _Fuck that._ Before she took three steps, Jesse and Cassidy exited the motel. Behind them were two men in suits and everyone was covered in blood.

"We can't let you do this," one of the suits grabbed Jesse's arm.

"Stay away from me," he growled and reluctantly they obeyed.

Cassidy guided Anna back to her car while Jesse got into his truck. "Alright, let's go."

"The fuck was that?" Anna asked as she sped back to the church. "I thought I said leave angels alone."

"Yea, yeh did," he admitted. "Sorry," he added when she glared at him.

Anna was fuming that he so carelessly endangered himself that she could barely talk to him. Still, she didn't pull away when he reached out and grabbed her hand. She wanted to say something romantic about when they first met, but she couldn't find the words. She had never been sappy or sentimental so they drove in silence until they reached All Saints Congregational.

"Are yeh coming in?" he asked her.

Anna shook her head. "Not right now."

Cassidy watched Anna drive away not sure where they were on the fight pendulum. Then he followed Jesse inside to take off their blood soaked clothes. They stood in their briefs in the kitchen, watching the washer spin. Cassidy got a whiff of himself and excused himself to take a shower.

"Only cold til the washer's done," Jesse told him. "Beer while we wait?"

"At ten a.m. in the morning?" Cassidy grinned and accepted. "Yeh know, we could talk to Anna bout the angels."

"What does she know?" Jesse scoffed.

Cassidy shrugged. "Well apparently she sold her soul to Satan so she knows a ting or two about angels and demons."

"I ain't gonna get help from a demon," he said.

"Ach, no. She's a good lass," Cassidy backpedaled. "She's you're friend, right?"

"Right, but I don't want Satan involved." Jesse wasn't sure if they were speaking metaphorically. He was still trying to get passed Genesis and angels.

"That's not what I meant," Cassidy sighed. "I just meant she 'as experience with angels."

Jesse shook his head. "Keep her out of this."

†††††

Meanwhile, Anna slurped her milkshake at the Flavour Station, daring anyone to tell her to stop. There was a family in the booth behind her who she knew was growing annoyed, but they were too scared to say anything. Even Cain looked like he might burst a blood vessel. She didn't stop until there wasn't a lick of ice cream left in the glass.

"Thought you might want to know, there are angels in town," she spoke for the first time during their meal.

Cain grimaced. "Do you know why?"

Anna shrugged. "Something to do with Jesse."

"The preacher?" he asked.

"Do you know another Jesse?" she sighed.

"Right. Well I ain't leaving," he said.

Anna shrugged again.

"What about that goofy-looking guy you've been hanging around?" Cain asked.

"Vampire."

Cain nodded, appreciating the clarification, and resumed their silence.

It was the most that had spoken since she arrived which was how they both liked it. Anna didn't even say goodbye as she left money on the table to pay for her food.


	8. Sunday Dinner

**SUNDAY**

Cassidy waited anxiously to get Jesse on his own. He wanted answers. And he wanted to help that kid that was in Hell because of Jesse. Cassidy was terrified of Hell because he knew if he could die; that's where he'd be going. And not just some first-level nonbeliever shite either, he'd end up somewhere close to the City Center; Án Lar. He chuckled to himself; it's been nearly a hundred years and he was still translating shite in his head.

Finally after the service, he was able to talk to Jesse alone, but before he could figure out what the fuck was wrong with his friend, Emily pulled him away and Tulip let herself in.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she returned and began unloading groceries as though he wasn't there.

"Whatcha got there?" Cassidy asked.

"I'm cooking dinner," Tulip explained.

"Oh. Dinner, eh?" He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know why the situation was awkward, but it was. He never said anything right lately, or so it seemed.

"Yeah. So what?" Tulip became defensive.

 _Definitely the wrong thing to say._ "So whatever happened to getting out of here?" Cassidy provoked her further. "Ripping the ball off Pedro?"

"Carlos," Tulip corrected him. "We're still doing it. It's just on pause."

Cassidy was only partially listening. He didn't even realize he has gotten the name wrong. "So what're we havin? Hashbrowns-"

"You should invite Anna," Tulip interrupted him.

"Oh I don't know." Now Anna had come up the conversation couldn't get any worse.

"Why not? Ain't she your girlfriend?" Tulip demanded.

Yeh, but I think she's still a bit mad at me," Cassidy shrugged.

"Just ask," Tulip sighed.

Cassidy agreed only to get her to stop talking about it. Only afterwards did he realize he would actually have to call her since Tulip was hovering. .

†††††

Anna was surprised to be included in Sunday dinner and was glad to see that Proinsias wasn't mad at her. She walked into the back of the church where Tulip was serving food while he leaned against the wall like a teenager that was up to no good. He wore a ragged shirt that was too big and sweatpants that were the same. To Anna he looked homeless, still cute, though. She hooked a finger through the hole by the collar of his shirt. "I need to get you some real clothes," she commented with her best smile.

"I'm not a charity case, luv." Cassidy removed her hand and kissed her forehead. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" Anna asked, looking up at him.

Before he could answer, Tulip had finished serving and called everyone to the table. It was a bit tight with five people so the couples had to push closer together which left Emily obviously stranded. On the bright side, Cassidy was good at drawing the attention to himself. All he needed was a nudge in the right direction which Anna carefully provided.

"Everyone's saying 'That's the point. It's not supposed to make sense, dude' and I'm just like that's an excuse for lazy storytelling," he rambled with his mouth full. "Just don't sell me shite and tell me it's gold, alright. I may be stoned, but I'm not high. Ye know what I mean?"

Anna stifled a giggle.

"I've never seen the Cohen brothers," Emily commented politely.

"Don't start with Lebowski," Cassidy advised.

The conversation fell silent for a moment. One moment that Tulip couldn't stand.

"What's your problem?" she demanded, throwing down her utensils and glaring at Jesse.

"What?" he shrugged.

"What?" she mocked. "You haven't said four words. What happened? Someone's cat die?"

"Leave it alone, Tulip," he growled.

She did, but only for one more second of painful, awkward silence. "What the heck is goin' on?"

Anna caught movement out of the corner of her eye and jumped up. It was the sheriff standing at the window that connected the common area and the kitchen.

"Sorry," he apologized for startling her. "I was knocking."

Emily joined Anna and stood. "Evenin', Sheriff."

"I hate to interrupt your supper, but I was hopin'- I- I'm looking for Eugene?" he explained and twirled his hat in his hands. "I was hoping he ran off to spend time with you like he sometimes does, but I reckon not. The darnedest thing. Have you seem him? Have you seen Eugene?"

Anna's heart ached for the man. It was pitiful how lost he seemed. But she had no words for him; she never knew how to comfort.

Before anyone could offer up and information, the smoke alarm went off, drawing attention to the fire inside of the oven. The group sprang into action, dousing the fire and fanning the alarm. All but Jesse who remained seated at the table.

Cassidy put down the fire extinguisher and gathered Anna into his arms. She let him although it was clear he was more worried about the flames than she was.

"Well, I'll get out of your hair," the Sheriff excused himself. "When I saw him this morning before church he said he was gonna come by to find you."

"Before church?" Jesse finally spoke. "I didn't see him.

"It's the darnedest thing," Sheriff Root shook his head.

"Actually, you did see him," Emily pointed out.

"What the hell?" Anna whispered to Cassidy.

"Shush, luv. It's just getting' good," he grinned.

"You were in the church and I came in and said Eugene wanted to talk to you. Said you were too busy, but I sent him in anyway?" Emily continued. "But I saw him leave after so…" she added when Jesse made no motion to agree.

The Sheriff sighed. "Alright then, sorry to have bothered you."

"I'll walk you out." Jesse stood from the table. When he left the room, the others sat down and silently moved their food around on their plates.

"That was great. The most interesting dinner I've had since I've been here," Anna commented.

Cassidy chuckled despite the glare from Tulip. He only stopped when Anna did. She noticed Tulip's glare and was trying desperately to make a human friend.

"I should go talk to him," Cassidy said and shrugged on his hoodie and grabbed the fire extinguisher. "I'll be right back."

"What the fuck?" Anna nearly shouted when it was only the girls left at the table. Something had happened in the past 48 hours that stumped Anna. Cassidy and Jesse were both acting strangely and Tulip was upset. The combination of the three put Anna on edge and she wanted to bolt. Before she could work herself up to move from the table, Jesse returned. He sat down at the table and began eating without a word. Anna turned to look at the doorway, but Proinsias strolled in like she expected.

"Where's Cass?" Tulip asked while Anna was looking around.

"Where the fuck is he? Anna demanded as well. Her stomach churned as her mind sprinted through all the possibilities of what happened to Proinsias. "Fuck!" she jumped up from the table when Jesse refused to answer.

Tulip grabbed a blanket from the common area and ran out after Anna.


	9. Animal Cruelty

Outside, Tulip and Anna found Cassidy cowering in the shadows. He had been burnt beyond recognition. Tulip threw the blanket over him and went to help him stand.

"I'll bring the car around," Anna said and only a moment later came skidding to a stop inches from the pair.

Tulip opened the door and while remaining in the shadows was able to get Cassidy into the back seat.

"Proinsias, are you alright?" Anna asked.

Her answer came in the form of a growl that turned to a whimper.

"Oh, my love," she said to herself. Her eyes were beginning to well up with tears. She had never been a caregiver and thought she would never have to be. She thought that because he was a vampire she would never have to be without him, but in the space of a minute she had come close to losing him- this time forever. "Tulip where do we go?"

"Just drive. I'll give you directions," Tulip answered.

Cassidy still felt like he was on fire. And when in the few moments of clarity through the pain, he could only focus on the animalistic need to survive- which in his case meant blood. But among the screaming in his head, he also heard Anna speaking. He heard Anna ask him if he would be alright, but he didn't have the capability to answer. Then she called him "my love" and he sank further into himself. He never wanted her to experience him like this. He half wished Jesse hadn't put him out.

The tires squealed as Anna stopped out front of a house with overgrown grass and bottles in the yard.

"Uncle Walter," Tulip said.

Before they even exited the car, Anna noticed neighbors avoiding looking at the car or at the house. At least it would be easy to get Proinsias inside. It took the two girls to carry him inside and guide him into the back room. Cassidy let them help him only because he could not physically help himself, but once they let him go, he chased Anna and Tulip from the room and slammed the door shut behind them. He sunk down to the floor with his back against the door. He was starving.

Anna knocked on the door. "Proinsias?" When he didn't respond she tried again. "Let me in. I can help you."

"No!" he growled and crawled away from the door.

"You can't kill me," she pointed out, guessing at his concerns.

"Go away!" he shouted through the closed door. He hated doing that to bastards that deserved it. He could never do it to Anna. It's not like he had fangs and could be neat like in the films. No, he actually tore them apart to get at the blood.

"Come on." Tulip led Anna from the door. "We'll get him a cow or sometin'."

"Might be a bit difficult to get through the door," Anna pointed out.

"Hmm. Alright. We'll go to the pound first thing tomorrow," Tulip modified her plan. "You wanna sleep here?"

"Yeah," Anna readily agreed, but wondered where. They had put Proinsias in the only bedroom and a man, Anna guessed it was Walter, was asleep on the sofa.

†††††

As planned, Anna and Tulip drove to the pound as soon as they opened. Anna didn't speak the whole way. She didn't like the idea of feeding a dog or a cat to Proinsias. It seemed so inhumane. What did the dog ever do? Couldn't they just hunt down a rapist and throw him in the room?

Anna hooked her fingers into the chain-link fence, staring at the Corgi puppy on the other side. The write up said his name was Thor and he was one year old. "Aw, Tulip, I want him."

"For a pet?" Tulip raised her eyebrows. "Might as well get a cat."

Anna looked over to where Tulip was petting an old basset hound. The massive drool-monster probably only had a year left in him, but the thought of feeding the dog to a vampire still made her sick. "Yes, as a pet," Anna sneered, but didn't complain about Tulip's motives until she had filled out her own paperwork to adopt Thor.

The basset hound laid across the entire backseat while Anna took shotgun, Thor on her lap.

"I don't think I can do this to a dog," Anna muttered. "The poor baby."

"He's old," Tulip quipped. "He's gonna die soon anyway. That was a kill shelter. Don't you want your boyfriend to heal?"

"Of course! But I thought we could feed him one of the asswipes that seem so abundant in this town," Anna said.

"No. We ain't killin' a person."

"You're no fun," Anna declared.

"Murder ain't supposed to be fun!" Tulip huffed.

Anna shrugged. It seemed the older one got, the harder it becomes for a moral compass to find true north.

When they returned to the house, Anna put Thor down and let him run rampant. He could destroy the living room any more than Walter already had. Tulip remained holding on to the basset hound's collar. He stood patiently while he panted expectantly. Thor on the other hand continued to yap and run back and forth and under the larger dog's legs.

"Well?" Tulip asked.

"Fuck if I know," Anna shrugged. "Toss him in there and close the door?"

"You're really not," Anna admitted. "I love animals. I hate heights. Everything else is gray area."

Tulip sighed and went to feed Cassidy on her own. She opened the door a bit and found Cassidy cowering in a corner. He looked like a monster. Some skin was missing and the rest was puckered and burnt. He had no hair and his lips were peeled back. The dog whimpered, sensing the danger. Tulip shoved the animal forward and quickly stepped back out, shutting the door. She heard Cassidy growl and the dog whimper again before going silent.

Anna was in the kitchen on the phone. She had dialed up Jesse and drummed her fingers impatiently on the countertop waiting for him to pick up.

"Hello?" he drawled.

"Jesse? It's Anna."

"What can I do for you Anna?" he asked, but she could tell he was distracted.

"Am I your friend?" she replied.

"Suppose so, yeah? Why?"

"Then why would you leave my boyfriend to die?" she shouted. "A guy who, by the way, thinks you're his best friend. That you're the best goddamn thing since Guinness."

Jesse didn't know what to say. He wanted to defend himself, but he was busy defending himself from Quincannon. "I put him out!" he yelled. "I put him out!"

"Not fast enough!" Anna yelled back and hung up, infuriated.

"You good?" Tulip asked with a smirk.

"Your boyfriend's a dick," Anna retorted and collapsed into one of the armchairs in the living room.

Several moments of silence and nervous tapping passed until Anna finally declared that she was going to check on Cassidy. She opened the door to the backroom. The dog had been drained dry. Cassidy remained on all floors, licking his lips like a feral beast. He snarled at Anna and she quickly closed the door, making use of the lock on the outside.

"I don't think it was enough," Anna said.

"Well it's gon have to be. You can stay here until he's healed," Tulip sighed. "We'll go find more blood tomorrow."

When Anna woke up, Tulip wasn't in the house. There was a note on the phone saying that she went to buy rodents from pet stores. Anna cracked her neck. Her whole body was stiff from falling asleep in a chair. She opened the door to the back room to check on Proinsias. He was laying on the bed and staring at the sleep. His skin had regrown, but he was still covered in burns and open wounds.

"Get out," he said quietly.

"What can I do?" Anna asked, ignoring him.

"Get out," he repeated.

With a sigh, she closed the door. As she slide the lock into place, she heard Tulip entering through the front door.

Tulip squeezed through the front door holding several cages filled with hamsters, rabbits, and guinea pigs. "How is he?" she asked as Anna helped, taking a couple cages and placing them around the room.

"Not good," she answered.

They fed him the hamsters and a rabbit and then Anna broke into Walter's stash of alcohol. Tulip, feeling fed up and pissed off at the whole situation didn't join her. Instead, she called Emily.


	10. Guinea Pigs Don't Belong Outside

Anna sat in her chair not sure what she was supposed to be doing. She was terribly bored, but knew it would be shitty of her to leave Proinsias; even if they had eternity to work it out. It had been a relief to know she hadn't lost the one person who had made her stomach flutter, but now there was pressure in keeping him.

Tulip answered the knock at the door and was somewhat surprised to see that Emily had actually came over. "Thanks for coming by," she let Emily in.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked. She only came because Tulip's message was so vague.

"It's Cassidy," Tulip explained. "He's not healing."

"Not healing? What do you mean?"

"You freak out a lot Emily? Cause you look like you freak out a lot. This time, don't," Tulip said." Cassidy's a vampire, okay? Are you okay with that? You good? Can you deal?"

Emily nodded. She wasn't sure if she believed Tulip, but Anna wasn't laughing at her or disputing it. She had no choice to accept that Cassidy was a vampire.

"Good," Tulip said. "He was in the sunlight. He got burnt pretty bad. I think he's asleep now, but when he wakes up he's gonna be pretty hungry. I've been giving him- well- Anna doesn't like it, but…"

"Is he dangerous?" Emily gulped, looking at the animals scattered around in cages.

"Not if you don't go in there," Tulip explained. "Just you know, open the door a crack and throw a hamster or chicken or something, done. Here's some cash if you need more critters. Don't go to Pet Express, though, cause they're on to me."

Emily scoffed. "You're leaving? But you know about Jesse, right? That he's in trouble?"

Tulip paused. "What kind of trouble?"

"Where to start? He made a bet with Odin Quincannon about the church and-"

"You know what? Actually, I don't give a shit," Tulip interrupted. "I am done with Jesse Custer. He can be your boyfriend now. You can go to the movies, eat popcorn."

"Don't say that shit," Anna chimed in. "He's your love. We get one real love and you know it as soon as it happens cause it's real. I thought I lost mine. Now I might lose it again. Don't just give him away Tulip. That's bullshit."

"Yeah," Tulip rolled her eyes. "That's partly why you're here. I don't want her to do some dumb shit like let him drink her blood. But anyway as I was sayin'; all yours."

"I have a boyfriend," Emily lied. Tulip raised her eyebrows and Emily could tell she didn't believe her. "Yeah. I'm seein' the mayor."

"Nice good for you," Tulip said. "Who's the mayor again?"

"Miles. Miles Person." The name was lost on Tulip. "Sort of a ginger goatee? Khaki pants? Average height," Emily tried describing him.

"Oh yeah, nice."

"Yeah he's the mayor," Emily repeated.

Tulip nodded and picked up her bag. "So anyway, thanks for taking over."

"Sure. Where are you going?" Emily asked while Tulip was halfway out the door.

"I'm gonna kill a man in Albuquerque."

That left Emily alone with Anna who was slumped in an armchair; emotionally exhausted and slightly drunk.

"So you don't like killing animals?" Emily tried to make conversation.

"Animals are sweethearts," Anna said. "People are shitheads. Including Proinsias, but he tries."

Emily assumed Proinsias was Cassidy, but didn't want to ask. She busied herself with taking a rabbit out of its cage. She pet its soft fur as it wiggled its pink nose at her. It was the cutest thing. Her daughter always wanted a rabbit. She put it away and went to the phone. She picked it up, but didn't dial anything right away. It took her time to convince herself this was the best course of action. Miles sided with Quincannon anyway.

"Anna?" she called into the living room. "I'm goin' to call up someone and when he gets here, I need you to hide."

"Sure," Anna agreed. "But why?"

"We need him to go into the back room," Emily told her and then punched in Miles's number. "Help me!" she cried when he answered. "Miles! Miles help me- he got out- oh my god! he's gonna kill me- Walter O'Hare's- please come quick! I'm hiding in the-" Emily hung up mid-sentence.

"Manipulation is not a Christian quality," Anna teased as she moved from her spot.

Emily glared at her. "You mind that I'm solvin' our problem?"

Anna shook her head. It was hard not to sin when she knew she was already reserved a place in Hell. "Oh I am in no position to judge."

†††††

The two girls remained hidden as Miles let himself into the house.

"Emily? Emily?" he called as he wandered through the house.

Emily followed silently after him and Anna after her.

He opened the door to the backroom and gasped. "Oh my God, no!" He turned around to leave, but Emily pulled the door shut and slid the lock into place.

"Come away." Anna took Emily's wrist, but she wouldn't budge. She was frozen in place, staring at the door. The door through which came a muffled scream and the thud of a body.

"We should let the animals go," Emily said and walked away of her own volition.

Anna grabbed a cage of long-haired Guinea pigs and brought them out to the front yard. Emily grabbed the rabbit cage and followed. Anna squinted against the bright light of the sun; it had been a couple days since she had been outside and the sudden heat and light were disorienting. She stumbled a bit, but Emily caught her and she made it safely onto the grass. Emily opened her cage and the rabbits hopped out, followed shortly by Thor.

"Well aren't you going to let them go?" Emily asked.

"No." Anna hugged the cage tightly to her chest. "They'd never survive."

A man's boots crunched on the dead grass beside them. They looked up to see Jesse standing over them, blocking the sun. "Uh, Tulip around?"

"She went to Albuquerque," Emily told him.

"So what are you two doing here?" he asked.

"Setting them free," Emily motioned to the empty cage.

"But someone of them aren't meant to be wild so I'll keep them," Anna added.

Jesse looked at the caged Guinea pigs and the Corgi yapping around her ankles and wondered what her home in San Francisco must look like.

"I'll see you later," Emily dismissed herself. "Oh and your mate's inside."

Jesses's brow furrowed as he realized she meant Cassidy.

"Come on." Anna led him inside the house where there were still at least half a dozen small animals in cages and crates. They went down the hallway to the back bedroom. She opened the door first, releasing a couple flies that buzzed past their ears.

"Oh god." The smell of rot and blood hit Jesse. He saw the bodies of small animals, a dog, and even a human. Cassidy was crouched in a corner with his back to them.

"Go away," he grumbled.

"Cassidy," Jesse tried.

"You should go, Preacher," he growled.

Jesse took several steps closer and Anna let him even as he knelt to Cassidy's level. As he moved through the room, he recognized the body as that of Miles Person. "Oh Jesus, you killed the mayor."

"I'll kill you, too!" Cassidy barked, stopping inches from his face. He noticed movement out of his periphery and quickly turned away, hiding his face in the corner. "I told you, Abrianna, I don't want you to see me like this."

"Oh get the fuck over yourself," Anna sighed. "I'm not gonna leave you cause I now know that when you get burnt you turn into a bloodthirsty raisin." But she left the room anyway, allowing the boys to get mend their problems.


	11. God is Dead

Anna slammed her car door shut and stalked into the police precinct. Proinsias had left to restock on liquor last night and never returned. Early morning gossip from the town said that he had been last seen in the back of the Sheriff's car. There was no one at the front desk. In fact the building gave off the appearance of being deserted. Anna wondered if Annville even had any deputies.

"Root!" she shouted, headed toward the holding cells, but her voice was drowned out by the sound of a gun firing. "Fuck!" Anna ran towards the sound, arriving in no more than four strides.

The Sheriff sat outside of a cell. Through the bars, Anna was able to see Proinsias, coughing up blood on the ground.

"I'm not sure that's entirely legal, Sheriff," Anna said.

Root turned, startled. "I'm not sure he's entirely human."

"He's not," Anna said. "So let him go."

"Yeah, yeah," Root sighed and stood. "You're free to go." He unlocked the cell and left the room, leaving one last paper cup full of blood.

Anna picked it up and brought it to Proinsias who slurped greedily from it.

"We have to get to the church," he said when the hole in his chest began to heal over.

Anna laughed. "That's your concern right now?"

"Course! Padre's gonna call down God. Do yeh really wanna miss that?" he smirked.

"Alright, alright." Anna helped him. "Let's get going then."

†††††

The small church filled up quickly. In moments the entirety of Annville had arrived, packed in like sardines. Even Cain showed up. He shoved his way through the crowd to the front so that he could stand next to his Abrianna.

"You wanna talk to God?" Anna raised her eyebrows.

"I want to see him answer to his people," Cain grunted. "I want to see someone tell him off."

"That could be you," Anna pointed out.

Cain shook his head. "I killed Abel so that his soul would be safe from Lucifer. So that at least my brother would go to heaven. I knew what I was getting into. Just like you. God might be a mean son of a bitch, but we picked our own fates."

"Yeah," Anna sighed. "But I'm tired of mean sons of bitches."

Jesse exited from the vestibule and nodded towards us before getting behind the pulpit. "Peace be with you," he began.

"And also with you," the congregation echoed back at him.

As those with spots in the pews took their seats, Odin Quincannon got up and stood in front of the altar. "Hooboy! Quite a turnout. I'd like to thank you all for comin'."

"Down in front!" Anna hollered, already annoyed.

"Right," the man cleared his throat. "Let's get started."

Jesse nodded at her gratefully and began messing with the contraption on the pulpit. There were several strange beeping noises, but nothing seemed to be happening. A murmur of disappointment ran through the church and then the lights went out.

"Don't panic," Jesse told them. "It's arlgiht."

Then there was a burst of light and a great gust of wind. A white man in a white robe with white hair appeared. "Look upon me!" he commanded. "I am the alpha and the omega. The bright morning star. I am the Lord, your God."

Anna snorted. It was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "That's not god. That's not god, right?"

"No, that's not God," Cain frowned and pushed his way out through the crowd. It was time to leave Annville, Texas behind.

"My children," the divine imposter addressed the congregation. "Why have you called me?"

"God?" Jesse stepped forward. "We, uh, I called you cause we all have questions. Respectfully, we would like to know-"

"How dare you!" he yelled. "How dare you question your God?"

"No!" Tulip stepped forward. "How dare you! You can't shout at us like that. We're the ones that should be screaming, you sick-"

"Tulip!" Jesse silenced her.

"And you made a baby cry," Tulip sneered.

"I am is the only answer you need," the false-god spoke.

That pushed Jesse over the edge. "That is not good enough!" he yelled. "Look at us down here: greed, hate, and doubt. Sin is winning and you're losing. So if we are your children, why don't you act like a father? Take some time out of your busy schedule and answer some goddamn questions."

"God" burst out laughing. Anna was so startled she jumped backwards into Cassidy. He chuckled and caught her.

"Balls!" "God" laughed, pointing at Jesse. "Very well, what do you want to know?"

"How about where god is?" Anna muttered.

Cassidy shushed her with a gentle elbow to the ribs. "Now yeh're borderin' on disrespectful."

"You're one to talk," she grinned.

Cassidy couldn't help but smile back and offered only a shrug.

"Jesse," Anna tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. "Cain said that's not God," she whispered. "I don't think it's him either."

"How would you know?" he whispered back.

"I don't. I never met him, but Cain did. And the impression I got from Lucifer, He doesn't look like his pictures."

The congregation had begun clamoring, shouting their questions at God.

Cassidy laughed at them. "Yeh know, one time. I took quite a bit of angel dust and then drank an eight pack of Red Bull and then went to a Bieber concert. Honestly, this is crazier than that."

Odin interrupted. "Hey! Hey! You!" The clamoring stop and all eyes turned to him as he addressed God. "My family? My little girl? My little Lucy Lu?"

"What about her?" "God" asked.

"Is she there? With you?"

"Yes, she is here," "God" said and then turned to Jesse. "What about you Preacher? You must have a question."

Jesse gulped. He hadn't actually been prepared to ask God anything. And Anna's voice nagged in the back of his mind. "I've been wondering for a long time, now: What's your plan for me?"

"To be a shepherd to your flock," he said simply. "To tend to them and the church."

"But I failed in that," Jesse protested. "Why did you give me this power if I can't use it to save them?"

"You have not failed, my son. You brought them to me and so they are saved."

"Really?" Jesse blinked. "Even Eugene?"

"Yes, even Eugene." The man seemed to be growing wearied.

"But I sent him to hell!" Jesse admitted and the whole crowd hushed.

"God" paused. "How did you do that my son?"

"With the power," Jesse answered as though it were obvious. "With Genesis."

"Oh, uh, yes, of course. Who else has a question?" The reply deflected.

"Told you so," Anna muttered, just so her friends could hear her.

Jesse moved to the center of the church. "One last question: You're not God, are you? You're an imposter!"

"I am God!" the man cried.

"Where is God?" Jesse demanded. " _Where is God?"_ he demanded a second time when the first was not answered, but his voice changed and the room shook as he spoke.

"I don't know!" the imposter cried. "He's missing! We don't know where he is? Maybe he's down there. We don't know!"

Two men who were out of sight came and dragged the imposter away as he protested. When he was out of sight, the call ended.

Anna looked around, not entirely sure if she could believe what had just happened. It was a bit anticlimactic if anything. She had expected this, but half hoped for the real thing. "Well, I'm hungry," she shrugged and took Proinsias's hand. "Let's find you an umbrella."

"Wait!" Tulip heard Anna. "I want French Fries. Jesse!" She called. "Fries. Let's go!"


End file.
